The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-05-04
HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF.
How Leonidas Tried to Hold the Pass at
Thermopyle.

How Leontdas Tried TO Hold the Pass at
Thermopylm.
Leonidas was prominent editor of Sparta,
in the sweet long ago.
His paper, the Palladium, was noted for its
opposition to the interstate commerce bill of
that period, and when the obnoxious meas
ure became law Leonidas was as hot as a
cook stove.
Like the law which is now distracting
the minds of the people of the United States
and overworking the commissioners, this an
cient statute prohibited the issue of passes.
Just before the law began to do its deadly
work Mr.. Xerxes president of the Their
mopyl@ Railway Company, issued a circular
of which the following is copy;
form 20l.1 2-14-2,0O0
THERMoPYLE RAILWAY Co.
OFFICE OF Col. w. II. XERxEs, President,
LocRIs, April 81, $50 b. G.
Dear Si7--As you are aware, the interstate
commerce law, which goes into effect on the
5th proximo, forbids under severe penalties
the issuing of free passes or the honoring of
those now issued.
You WILL therefore, return to the general
offices of the Thermopyl@ Railway Company
the annual pass now issued in your name, as
the same win not be available for passage after
the date named.
Regretting the necessity for issuing this cir
cular, beg to remain, yours faithfully,
WILLIAM HENRY XERxEs
President and Gen1 Freight and Ticket Agent
When Leonidas received this intimation he
was even more wroth than when the bill
passed.
The pass was young and beautiful one,
with the figures 4s0 in large gilt letters all
ovar tho foco and aon;duo had ,,of avh;h
tied it more than three times to the admiring
gaze of the conductors of the line.
Then again the fishing season was about
to open, and he intended to take run down
into Thessaly county every Saturday after the
paper had gone to press, and indulge in the
pleasant sport of lazily drowning worms.
He had several other little excursions
planned for the summer one of which was
to visit his girl in Ohio.
Leonidas was therefore sorrowful when he
learned that his nice new pass, which was
Just ready to blossom forth into q career Of
usefulness, had been cut down in its fresh
young beauty.
Then he made brave resolution.
He resolved not to give it up, but die in its
defense If necessary.
! He died, as the sequel will show.
Colonel Xerxes was determined to see the
| law enforced and when Leonidas neglected
to return the pass at the appointed time,
xerxes sent postal card to inquire the
| wherefore.
Leonidas replied that Xerxes might go to
Halifax, but Xerxes went not.
Halifax was not on his line of road.
He went for Leonidas instead, having first
called out the militia to assist in taking the
pass from the angry editor.
The latter levied three hundred Pinkerton
guards, armed with Remington rifles, to de-
fend the pass.
But it was of no use
Xerxes captured the precious pasteboard,
but not until Leonidas and all his retainers
but one had been sent to that land where the
wicked legislators cease from troubling and
the weary editor is at rest.
The man who escaped got back to Sparta
and wrote an account Of the fight for the
Palladium. which thus had scoop on its
contemporaries.
This little incident shows us that there is
nothing alarmingly original about the inter-
state commerce law, for passes were called in
more than 1900 years ago.
VIM. III. SIvrTER.